The other morning I was thinking that being a programmer was probably where I was headed all along in my life…. and thankfully Apple has remained around that whole time too, since that’s where it started.

I remember being sent to a week-long “computer camp” one summer at Brownell-Talbot. We learned BASIC on Apple II+’s. I kept the 4 books as my “reference bibles” for many years of my youth… carrying them around with me all the time, reading them. I recall being befuddled by GOSUB routines. 🙂

I remember when we got an Apple IIe for Christmas, with 2 5.25″ disk drives, and a 64K expansion card! Top of the line stuff there… and of course, I pulled out my BASIC books. One day Dad took us to a software sales “convention” in some hotel conference room where they sold this “shareware” stuff. I recall pulling out my BASIC knowledge and hacking the games. I didn’t know how to write a full game myself, but I did like modifying the existing ones. Heck, I recall kids at school giving me obviously pirated/hacked versions of games — I didn’t understand what it was I was getting, but I thought it was cool to see how someone had inserted their own name into the game’s intro screens.

I remember going to my Dad’s office and while he worked he sent me over to this one desk to occupy my time. This desk had a Mac on it. I was so fascinated by this MacPaint thing.

I remember needing my own computer in college, being tired and frustrated by the limitations put on me from sharing or borrowing. Dad bought me a Mac IIvx (I should have gotten the Centris 650!). I found a copy of THINK C for sale at the college bookstore, and with a Dave Mark book in hand I started down the road in earnest.

So I was looking back at just how much my parents supported and enabled my efforts… and well….

Thanx, Mom & Dad. 🙂